The implementation of Canada’s Cannabis Act is deep into the implementation process. After watching this process in Oregon, I can only imagine how long the roll out might take in entire country (as opposed to one state). One piece of the Cannabis Act that has not been given much attention so far is the fact that the country would allow anyone 18 and older to use cannabis. This is quite different from the U.S., where all of our legalized adult-use/recreational marijuana laws only allow for people ages 21 and older to consume cannabis.

Canada’s Cannabis Act definitely calls for strict regulation regarding youth, however, stating that no person could sell or provide cannabis to any person under the age of 18 and that if one is found giving or selling cannabis to youth or using a youth to commit a cannabis-related offense, they could receive maximum criminal penalties of 14 years in jail.

Additionally, in order to prevent youth from using cannabis, the Act would also prohibit products, packaging, or labeling that are appealing to youth, selling cannabis through self-service displays or vending machines, or promoting/advertising cannabis (except where the promotion could not be seen by youth).

While still tightly regulated, there are still mixed opinions about the age at which young people should be able to consume cannabis, particularly if it is being done so for recreational purposes (rather than medical).

According to Paste, Senator Jonathan Singer of Colorado would like to see the age in his own state lowered to 18. Repeating the feelings of many young adults, Singer said, “If you are old enough to go to war then you should be old enough to be trusted to use a recreational substance.” He added that lowering the age to 18 would help reduce widespread underage use.

There is no doubt that outcomes from the results of this Canadian cannabis roll-out could influence the future of marijuana legalization in America. We will wait and see!

Nevada’s Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to establish a commission designed to study the legalization of marijuana.

House Bill 215 will now move towards a vote by the full Senate. Given it has already been passed by the full House of Representatives, passage in the Senate would send it to Governor Chris Sununu for consideration.

The 22-person commission would be tasked with examining “the possible impacts of changing state policy to treat marijuana in a manner similar to the way the state deals with alcohol and shall study the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana including the specific issues related to growing, selling, taxing, limiting use, advertising, promoting, and otherwise regulating marijuana and marijuana-infused edible products.”

The commission “shall also study the experiences of New Hampshire and other states regarding the use of marijuana for medical purposes and for recreational purposes”, and “shall also study the experiences of states that have or are in the process of legalizing and regulating the recreational use of marijuana by adults, with particular attention to be given to the ways the changes in marijuana laws in Maine and Massachusetts, as well as Canada, impact our state.”

In addition, the commission “shall study any other issue that the commission deems relevant to its objective”, and may “solicit the advice or testimony of any organization or individual with information or expertise relevant to its study.”

According to the proposal the members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a) Five members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c) The attorney general, or designee.

(d) The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.

(e) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.

(f) The commissioner of the department of revenue administration, or designee.

(g) The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food, or designee.

(h) A representative of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, appointed by that organization.

(i) A representative of the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union, appointed by that organization.

(j) A representative of New Futures, appointed by that organization.

(k) A representative of the Marijuana Policy Project, appointed by that organization.

(l) A representative of the New Hampshire Bar Association, appointed by that organization.

(m) A representative of the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by that organization.

(n) A representative of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation, appointed by that organization.

Anthony, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheJointBlog, has worked closely with numerous elected officials who support cannabis law reform, including as the former Campaign Manager for Washington State Representative Dave Upthegrove. He has also been published by multiple media outlets, including the Seattle Times. He can be reached at TheJointBlog@TheJointBlog.com.

America’s largest veterans service organization has a message for President Donald Trump: Reschedule marijuana to permit research into its medical efficacy for treating vets suffering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The appeal by the American Legion was included in a letter sent to the White House last month. The letter requests a meeting with Trump to discuss critical veterans’ issues including opiate addiction and suicide, and calls on the Trump administration to “clear the way for clinical research in the cutting edge areas of cannabinoid receptor research,” according to portions of the draft letter shared with The Cannabist.

“It’s time the federal government took action to remove barriers to scientific research on this very important subject,” said Joe Plenzler, American Legion Director of Media Relations, in an email to The Cannabist.

Under the Controlled Substances Act, cannabis is listed alongside heroin, LSD and ecstasy as a Schedule I substance — the strictest of classifications, defined as having a high potential for abuse and no “currently accepted medical use.”

The American Legion’s request is an attempt to extricate the federal government from a “policy Catch 22,” said Louis Celli, the organization’s national director of veterans affairs and rehabilitation.

“On one hand the government claims that there is no federally approved scientific evidence to support cannabis being used in a medical environment, so they refuse to consider reclassifying it,” he said via email. “And on the other hand they refuse to permit scientific research because it’s a Schedule 1 substance.”

American Legion officials stress that they are not advocating for marijuana legalization.

“Rather we are advocating for re-scheduling so that more research can be done,” said Plenzler. “That (research) will enable our elected leaders and the American people to have a national discussion on the matter based on scientific evidence.”

The American Legion has received feedback from many veterans who report access to medical cannabis has been “effective” in helping them cope with issues such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Plenzler said. He called those afflictions “the signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“Some veterans have told me that access to cannabis is the very reason they are alive today,” he said. “Others have told me that they have been able to come off of every other pharmaceutical that they have been prescribed. Certainly, this is anecdotal evidence, but it is compelling.”

The American Legion’s request that marijuana be reclassified doesn’t come as a complete surprise. At its national convention last August, the group passed a resolution urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to license privately-funded U.S. medical marijuana production operations to enable “safe and efficient cannabis drug development research.” The resolution also calls on Congress “to remove marijuana from Schedule I and reclassify in a category that, at a minimum, will recognize cannabis as a drug with potential medical value.”

In addition to the American Legion’s advocacy, there are efforts underway in Congress to allow veterans safe access to medical marijuana in states where it is legal. The Veterans Equal Access Act, introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, would authorize Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care providers to give recommendations and opinions to veterans regarding participation in state marijuana programs.

Veterans taking part in state medical marijuana programs should therefore be aware, the website states, that while they won’t be denied access to VA healthcare, the VA doctors and clinical staff will “record marijuana use in the Veterans VA medical record along with its impact on the Veterans treatment plan.”

Among the groups supporting the American Legion’s call to advance research on medical marijuana is the newly-formed Veterans Cannabis Project, a nonprofit organization educating veterans on the benefits of medical marijuana while also promoting cannabis industry career opportunities available to them.

“Medical marijuana is a political issue. It is a legal issue. But most important, it is a health issue that is playing an increasingly significant role in the quality of life for America’s veterans,” said Nick Etten, the group’s executive director and a former Navy Seal, in an email. “In their request to seek support from the president to clear the way for expanded clinical research of cannabis, the American Legion is once again demonstrating, as their membership consistently has for almost 100 years, the leadership required to ensure that neither partisan politics nor failed policy will impede safe and effective treatment options for those who have served us.”

Bruce Kennedy is a veteran communications professional and multi-media journalist who has years of experience in international and business news. He started covering Colorado’s cannabis industry in…

The new law for the first time allows registered patients to legally purchase marijuana seeds, clones, and immature plants from licensed providers.

Other provisions in the law permit non-patients to legally share cannabis products with one another, and task the State Liquor and Cannabis Board to make recommendations regarding whether to permit the home cultivation of limited quantities of cannabis by adults. Washington is the only state that regulates the adult use of and commercial sale of cannabis, but does not permit adults to legally grow the plant themselves.

Anthony, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheJointBlog, has worked closely with numerous elected officials who support cannabis law reform, including as the former Campaign Manager for Washington State Representative Dave Upthegrove. He has also been published by multiple media outlets, including the Seattle Times. He can be reached at TheJointBlog@TheJointBlog.com.

We’ve covered how to pass a drug test for marijuana before. But, how long does marijuana stay in your system is the most frequently asked question that we receive. While there is no definitive answer, we have presented some guidelines.

The data used to create this infographic is gathered from research on drug testing methods and the information presented by drug screen manufacturers. Some resources include Redwood Toxicology, Cannabis Drug Testing, California NORML. The information presented is only a guide or estimate since drug testing has many variables that can influence a positive or negative outcome. The only way to really know if you are positive is to test yourself. You can test yourself with a cheap test by buying a THC urine drug test.

The most common tests used are a urine drug test, saliva drug test and hair follicle drug test.. Each test has a different detection time which is important to know. The urine test is the most commonly used because it is cheap and has a longer detection time than a saliva test. There are several very important factors that can influence how long THC will be present in your urine:

Weight

Body Fat

Amount Used

Frequency of Use

Since these factors will vary greatly for each individual, there are no definitive guidelines to tell you how long you can test positive for THC.

On a Urine Drug Test, THC will appear as a positive within 2-5 hours of use. How long it will still show on a urine drug test is estimated based on frequency of use, but does not take into account the weight and body fat of the marijuana user:

One Time User may show positive for 1-6 days

Moderate User may show positive for 7-13 days

Frequent User may show positive for 15 or more days

Heavy User may show positive for 30 or more days

Some Heavy Pot Smokers have reported being positive 45-90 days after quitting

On a Saliva Drug Test, THC will test positive within one hour of use, but you may have marijuana in your system for about 12 hours after last use.

How long does drugs stay in your hair? On a Hair Drug Test, THC will show up about 7 days after use and most hair drug tests will test for a 90 day period. However, THC does not always bind to the hair follicle which makes it not always considered an accurate testing method for marijuana use.

The most reliable way to know if you are testing positive for marijuana use is to drug test yourself.

If the United States legalized medical marijuana for conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety and seizures, cannabis could siphon more than $4 billion annually from the nation’s pharmaceutical industry, a new study hypothesizes.

The report expected to be released Wednesday by New Frontier Data, a provider of data and analytics to cannabis businesses, is intended to show how cannabis could disrupt pharmaceutical sales in nine key treatment areas.

“Any opportunity for alternatives that could result in reduced pharmaceutical drug use might present a compelling point of discussion from a public policy standpoint,” said John Kagia, executive vice president of industry analytics for the Washington, D.C.-based New Frontier.

With the backdrop of opioid use concerns and the simmering debates on health care reform and marijuana legalization, Kagia and fellow analysts sought to explore the idea of pharmaceutical substitution — people eschewing prescription drugs and using medical marijuana to treat certain ailments.

The foundation of New Frontier’s report is a 2016 study out of the University of Georgia that tracked Medicare Part D spending in states that legalized medical marijuana.

From 2010 to 2013, Medicare prescriptions declined for drugs in which medical marijuana could be an alternative, amounting to annual savings of $165.2 million in 2013, the researchers found. A follow-up report from the same researchers showed that if medical marijuana were legal nationally, taxpayers could save $1.1 billion on Medicaid prescriptions annually, the Washington Post reported.

Kagia extrapolated that research by applying the average prescription decline of 11 percent to annual pharmaceutical spending for the most common medical marijuana qualifying conditions (see chart below). To determine which ailments to analyze, New Frontier reviewed current state medical marijuana laws and the National Academies of Science’s report showing the potential efficacy of medical cannabis in certain conditions. They arrived at the following nine conditions to examine in their study: chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders, anxiety, epilepsy, nerve pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, Tourette syndrome and glaucoma.

New Frontier then reviewed market research reports for each condition and mapped out pharmaceutical spending through 2019 — calculating total costs that climbed from $40 billion in 2016 to more than $44 billion in 2019. If cannabis replacement accounted for 11 percent of that total, the annual substitution cost would be $18.5 billion: $4.41 billion in 2016, $4.55 billion in 2017, $4.7 billion in 2018 and $4.86 billion in 2019, according to New Frontier.

“The impact of medical cannabis legalization is not going to be enormously disruptive to the pharmaceutical industry,” Kagia said.

But to certain companies, catering to certain therapies, the effect could be more pronounced, he said.

New Frontier noted specifically Pfizer Inc., which has medications for conditions such as anxiety, epilepsy, glaucoma, depression, anxiety and seizures. The New York-based Pfizer, which had $52.8 billion in sales in 2016, could take a half-billion-dollar hit annually, New Frontier estimated.

Pfizer officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

It’s reasonable to assume that medical marijuana will have an effect on pharmaceutical sales, but estimating that with any precision is a tough task, said Robert Mikos, drug policy expert and law professor at the Vanderbilt University Law School.

“Even if you had legalization overnight, it typically takes a while to get physicians who are comfortable recommending the drug,” he said.

Questions abound as to what national medical marijuana legalization could look like, to what extent Food & Drug Administration regulations are policed, and how established pharmaceutical companies may try to oppose the cannabis market.

“I think there are pharmaceutical companies that are worried about the impact that this could have on their sales,” Mikos said. “Some, rightly or wrongly, complain they’re held to a much higher standard for their products. Their complaint is that you’ve got a movement afoot that is making grandiose and unsubstantiated claims about health benefits, and it’s hard for them to push back against that.”

There have been some instances of pharmaceutical firms opposing state-based legalization movements. Chandler, Ariz.-based Insys Therapeutics, which is developing a synthetic THC drug, ponied up $500,000 in opposition of Arizona’s recreational marijuana measure in 2016.

New Frontier’s math may not ultimately prove exactly true — the impact could be larger or smaller than projected — but the data do point to a trend worth watching, Mikos said.

“If the data are accurate, it does suggest that there’s a significant portion of the population that might benefit from the legalization of medical marijuana,” he said.

Prescription Medication Spending by Condition (USD Billions)

Year

Chronic Pain

PTSD

Sleep Dis-orders

Anxiety

Epi-lepsy

Nerve Pain

CINV

Tour-ette Synd.

Glau-coma

Total

Cannabis Replace-ment (11% of Total)

2016

$14.28

$10.61

$6.13

$3.41

$2.40

$1.97

$1.01

$0.14

$0.13

$40.09

$4.41

2017

$14.88

$10.72

$6.35

$3.49

$2.52

$2.08

$1.07

$0.14

$0.13

$41.38

$4.55

2018

$15.51

$10.83

$6.58

$3.57

$2.64

$2.21

$1.13

$0.14

$0.14

$42.73

$4.70

2019

$16.16

$10.93

$6.83

$3.66

$2.76

$2.33

$1.20

$0.13

$0.14

$44.14

$4.86

Source: New Frontier Data

Alicia Wallace joined The Cannabist in July 2016, covering national marijuana policy and business. She contributes to the Denver Post’s beer industry coverage. In her 14 years as a business news reporter, her coverage has spanned topics such as the…

A new study published by the journal Neurochemical Research, and published online by the U.S. National Institute of Health, has confirmed past research that shows cannabidiol to be an anti-seizure agent.

For the study; “The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) funded Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP) investigated CBD in a battery of seizure models using a refocused screening protocol aimed at identifying pharmacotherapies to address the unmet need in pharmacoresistant epilepsy”.

Applying this new screening workflow, CBD was investigated in multiple mouse and rat models of acute seizures. Following intraperitoneal (i.p.) pretreatment, “CBD produced dose-dependent protection in the acute seizure models.” In chronic models, “CBD produced dose-dependent protection in the corneal kindled mouse”.

Anthony, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheJointBlog, has worked closely with numerous elected officials who support cannabis law reform, including as the former Campaign Manager for Washington State Representative Dave Upthegrove. He has also been published by multiple media outlets, including the Seattle Times. He can be reached at TheJointBlog@TheJointBlog.com.

As more states legalize cannabis with both medical and recreational/adult-use legislation, the topic of using marijuana to treat drug addiction seems to come up more and more. We recently posted an article about how cannabis could be the cure to opioid addiction, and I have spoken with many people personally who have used cannabis in some form to help wean themselves off of their opioid addiction or other drugs.

As discussed in that article, a number of respected science and medical journals, have undertaken medical marijuana studies in recent months and years. While the information is preliminary, all of these reports and studies lay an important foundation to push for more studies and information regarding the possible therapeutic use and benefits of cannabis for a variety of reasons, and particularly opioid addiction.

Amanda Reiman, PhD MSW, is an internationally recognized cannabis expert and public health researcher, and a leader the field of cannabis as a substitute for alcohol and other drugs. She has presented her research all over the world. Reiman explained, “When a family loses a loved one to opiate overdose, they would do anything to go back in time and prevent it, even allowing their loved one to use cannabis. Standing by an abstinence only framework in light of the rising deaths due to opiates is narrow minded and inhumane.”

A recent article from CNN explores this type of treatment even further:

On the front lines of addiction in the United States, some addiction specialists have also begun to work towards this.

Joe Schrank, program director and founder of High Sobriety, is one of them. He says his Los Angeles-based treatment center uses medicinal cannabis as a detox and maintenance protocol for people who have more severe addictions, although it’s effectiveness is not scientifically proven.

“So it’s a harm-reduction theory,” he said. “With cannabis, there is no known lethal dose; it can be helpful for certain conditions.”

“Some say it’s hypocritical because, you know, you’re supposed to go to rehab to get off drugs,” said Schrank, who recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety from alcohol and all drugs. “And cessation of drug use can be a goal for some people, but pacing is also important.” Some patients want to gradually move into abstinence, weaning themselves off drugs over time. Others want to maintain sobriety from a drug by using a less harsh drug, such as cannabis.

Part of the problem in collecting evidence is that marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under federal law, which creates something of a roadblock for conducting proper research. However, pre-clinical animal studies have demonstrated promising results in reducing the symptoms of opioid (and other hard drug) addiction withdrawal and heroin-seeking.

Instructions1. Combine rice, water and pinch of salt in small pot. Bring to simmer. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes, or until done. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

2. Combine tuna, avocado, cucumber and jalapeno in bowl, set aside in refrigerator.

Tips from Chef Hosea• You must find the freshest fish available for a dish like this. If you can’t find good tuna, salmon is a great substitute.• Make sure the knife is very sharp before cutting fish or veggies.• Keep all ingredients cold until using.• Serve this dish fresh — don’t toss with dressing until you’re ready to eat.

The Kannstor Grinder is the best grinder you can get on the market today. Beautiful designs, great prices and a variety of sizes makes this grinder a great buy!

Want to know more about Kannastor grinders?

Smart move, you came to the right place.

Finding the right grinder is an absolute necessity for people that have a strong desire to have the best vaping experience.

Over the years, the demand for the best vaping experience has increased which also paved the way not only for high tech vaporizers but additionally for the high end high grade accessories that compliment them such as the grinder.

You’ve heard this advice a million time.

When looking for a new grinder, you need to make sure its user-friendly, durable, and a design that makes it functional.

It needs to do its job well of grinding herbs in order to maximize the vaping experience.

One of the brands that stood out over the years is Kannastor. Kannastor has been around making different types of grinders since 2003.

That’s 14 years of experience for them.

They’ve covered both the single chamber and the multi-chamber varieties. And given their years in the business, this makes them a veteran in the world of vaporizers and grinders.

All these years, they’ve been working to adjust their designs in order to create the best grinders possible.

The Good

There are a lot of good things that can be said about the Kannastor vaporizers.

In fact, they offered some of the most advanced designs in the market today.

One of the features that make them unique and a stand out brand is the material used on their products.

Get this: Kannator grinders have a glass fronted storage that allows you to see what exactly happens inside the grinder.

And having an exterior threading, the device secures the materials that you place inside the grinder.

Also, a trademark design of Kannastor Grinders is its ability to churn the herbs smoothly.

Let’s dig a little bit deeper.

It has sharp diamond shaped teeth that can simply break down the herbs without a problem. You end up with consistent and smooth grind every time you use their products.

In some cases like the GR8TR grinders by Kannastor, it even made use of teeth on both top and bottom to make sure that it is easier for its users to make ground herbs.

It also comes with a warranty that ensures users that they purchased a durable product. Unlike other brands, you can guarantee that Kannastor Grinders will last for a long, long time.

The aerospace aluminum plays a role in terms of maintenance.

This makes it easier for you to get rid of all the dirt and pieces that were stuck from the last grinding session. All the

All the gunk and pieces stuck between the parts can easily be removed using household cleaning items.

In addition to that

The screen used on the Kannastor Grinders is made of stainless steel material. This prevents rusting and can help maintain the quality of your herbs.

The screen also has the perfect size that only allows the kief to be collected at the bottom of the device.

You can also choose different types of screens from Kananstor depending on how fine you want your herbs.

Another great feature of the Kannastor Grinders is its large storage capacity. This makes it the perfect option for those who prefer to do a long vaping session, not to mention help organized users store their herbs in one place.

The Bad

One of the most common problems that we have experienced with Kannastor Grinders is the fact that it is quite difficult to replace the screens.

It is a bit ironic on the part of the company considering their main selling point is Kannastor’s removable screens.

However, replacing the screen isn’t really something that you will have to do regularly.

If you are the type who vapes regularly, it is a good idea to already have additional screens right from the start the moment you purchased the Kannastor Grinders.

Another common problem is the plastic part on the Kannastor grinder sometimes detaches that can interfere with the process of grinding the herbs.

Design and Performance

Kannastor, over the years, perfected their grinder designs.

They’ve come up with different varieties that can help meet every vaping enthusiast’s preference and needs.

The construction of each grinder is quite different.

They’ve designed a range of single chamber to multi-chamber grinder designs for its markets with different needs and preferences.

The single chamber grinders make a perfect accessory for those who love to vape on-the-go while multi-chamber designs are perfect for those who love to vape for medical reasons.

All of its multi-chamber grinders have easy to remove screens that help you to maintain the device without a problem.

In fact

You can even choose how fine you want the screen to be! That means that you can get the desired consistency that you want for your herbs.

Aside from the grinder’s screen, the design of Kannastor Grinders prevents resin from getting stuck in between the teeth of your unit.

Maintenance

Maintenance is an important part of ensuring a grinder’s performance.

Since the Kannastor Grinder is made of aerospace-grade aluminum, this is something easy to do. However, make sure that you use solvents such as alcohol to get rid of the resin stuck on your screen and in the teeth. You can also apply dishwashing soap and water on the grinder.

Different types of Kannastor Grinders

4-Piece Kannastor Grinder

Kannastor produced many 4-Piece grinder variants. These grinders have a crank top which makes grinding easy. Watching the herbs go down the holes is also a thing of beauty in this particular device with its clear window top.

These grinders have a crank top which makes grinding easy. Watching the herbs go down the holes is also a thing of beauty in this particular device with its clear window top.

Watching the herbs go down the holes is also a thing of beauty in this particular device with its clear window top.

The 4-Piece Kannastor Grinder comes in different sizes from 1.25 inches to 3 inches depending on how wide you prefer your grinder to be.

The 4-Piece Kannastor Grinder has a magnet that keeps the top piece in contact with its lower pieces. This prevents you from making any mess while grinding your material. In true Kannastor fashion, this 4-piece grinder has a screen that does a great job separating the large particles and the small ones that end up on the bottom.

In true Kannastor fashion, this 4-piece grinder has a screen that does a great job separating the large particles and the small ones that end up on the bottom.

It also makes use of diamond-shaped teeth that allows the device to perform a good ground on the herbs that you place inside the device. Combine it with the crank design, and you end up with a user-friendly device.

The GR8TR by Kannastor is a highly versatile product that you can enjoy.

The GR8TR is available in Solid Body Grinder, Jar Grinder, and Vape versions.

Whichever you choose, the GR8TR offers a number of unique features that you might like to check.

For instance:

It has interchangeable grinding plates. This means that you can choose the consistency that you want every single session.

It has a Micro-Teeth and Dish Press Design which offers effortless grinding.

Which give you the ability to grind on both sides top and the bottom end of the grinder.

It was designed specifically for people with medical conditions requiring lesser physical effort in order to deliver the best ground for their vaping sessions.

Kannastor Grinders feature what they call Friction Rings. Offers is an easy grinding experience after